A court filing was just released revealing that Sam Brinton, a senior Energy Department (DOE) official, was charged with stealing a suitcase at an airport in September after an LGBTQ engineering conference.
Brinton, one of the federal government’s first gender non-binary officials, allegedly took an expensive Vera Bradley suitcase worth $2,325 from the luggage carousel. The court documents claim there is surveillance evidence of Brinton removing the owner’s tag.
The accused has been seen using the luggage during at least two other trips to Washington, D.C. on Sept. 18 and Oct. 9 and after previously denying taking the luggage he later admitted to having it.
“If I had taken the wrong bag, I am happy to return it, but I don’t have any clothes for another individual,” Brinton told police. “That was my clothes when I opened the bag.”
The story in the court filings is far from Brinton’s initial statement to the police. Evidence in court statements shows multiple deliberate acts the DOE employee did to cover their tracks.
“DEFENDANT said when they opened the bag at the hotel, they realized it was not theirs,” the court filings stated. “DEFENDANT got nervous people would think they stole the bag and did not know what to do. DEFENDANT stated they left the clothes from the bag inside the drawers in the hotel room.”
Brinton was charged with felony theft of movable property without consent, a charge that could result in a five-year sentence, a $10,000 fine or both.
The news of this charge just now breaking has been startling to congressional officials. Sen. John Barrasso (R-Wyo) fears that this jeopardizes the security of US nuclear energy technology in a letter saying:
“It is in the interest of both the Department’s mission and our national security that the Deputy Assistant Secretary’s clearance be immediately revoked,” Barrasso wrote. “Additionally, the Department should undertake all necessary steps to terminate their employment immediately.”
“The Department’s inability to respond to my concerns regarding the DOE’s clearance process is indicative of an egregious inattention to potential insider threats within the Department and the greater safety of the American public,” he wrote.
Brinton, who uses they/them pronouns, is famous in the community for their status in government and commitment to their peers, consistently campaigning for the safety and rights of LGBTQ citizens.
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